Used car checklist

24 things to go through before you buy a used car. Take them in the order they are listed: the papers first, the test drive last.

1. 1What do you check in the papers?

   • Compare the registration certificate against the advert: make, model, date of first use, engine power and gearbox. A single mismatch is a reason to ask.
   • Check that the vehicle identification number (VIN) on the certificate is the one on the car. The VIN sits at the base of the windscreen or in the driver's door frame.
   • Ask whether the seller is the owner or the keeper. On a leased or hire-purchase car those are two different people.
   • Read the number of owners against the car's age. Four owners in six years is a different car from one owner.

2. 2What does the inspection history tell you?

   • Ask for the whole inspection history, not only the latest result. The reasons for a failure say more than a pass stamp.
   • Compare the odometer readings recorded at each inspection. The figure has to rise every time — one that went backwards is a reason to stop.
   • Check when the next periodic inspection falls due. An inspection due next month is part of the price.
   • Watch for repeated advisories. The same note at two inspections in a row means it was never fixed.

3. 3What should be in the service record?

   • Ask for the service book or the receipts. An unstamped service book is not evidence that the work was done.
   • If the engine has a timing belt, ask when and at what mileage it was replaced. A receipt or a stamp, not a recollection.
   • Ask what has been done in the last 20,000 km and what is due next.
   • On an automatic gearbox, ask when the oil was changed. Many manufacturers do not advertise it, and a gearbox repair is expensive.

4. 4What do you look for in daylight?

   • See the car in daylight and dry. A wet car at dusk hides scratches, colour differences and dents.
   • Check that the panel gaps are even and the paint matches across doors, wings and bonnet. An uneven gap is a sign of a repaired collision.
   • Look for rust in the sills, the wheel-arch edges, the bottom of the tailgate and the underbody. Bring a torch.
   • Read the tyres' tread depth and week of manufacture. The last four digits of the DOT code give the week and year, and rubber hardens with age even when the tread is legal.

5. 5What do you listen for on the test drive?

   • Start the car from cold. A warm engine hides hard starting and smoke, which is why the car is often warmed up before you arrive.
   • Drive at least 15 minutes and take it to road speed. Some noises only appear above 80 km/h.
   • Brake hard somewhere safe. The car must not pull to one side and the pedal must not vibrate.
   • Check that every warning light goes out after the start. An engine light that stays on is a reason to find out why, not a reason to haggle.

6. 6What do you ask about an electric or hybrid car?

   • Ask for the battery's state of health (SoH) as a percentage, and when and with what equipment it was measured.
   • Ask for the real winter range, not the WLTP figure. The gap is large in a Finnish winter.
   • Check which charging cables are included in the sale and what the car's maximum DC charging power is.
   • Find out whether the battery carries its own valid warranty, and to which year or mileage it runs.